Day 1 of the NFL Draft was a very exciting day for 49er fans, who were muddled in confusion over who the third pick in the draft would be.
Cheers filled the air as the card read QB Trey Lance out of North Dakota State to be the future signal-caller for a franchise ready to compete now with its young roster.
However, it's time to move on to the juicy part of the draft, Round 2, where we should expect more trades, more players falling, more head-scratching picks, and a lot of excitement.
Round 2
After securing their quarterback, the 49ers should look at the rest of their needy positions during Round 2. There are some first-round talents still available, and it will be interesting to see who falls to them at pick 43.
There are some prospects who I love at this spot, and many of them would fit the 49ers' needs.
Tyson Campbell
I elaborated on this in a specific article, but Campbell is one of my favorite corners in the draft who would fit the 49ers on the outside due to the team's lack of both depth and continuity at the position. Given the team's need for depth at wide receiver, especially in the slot, look for the 49ers to take one with their third-round pick.
One of my favorite prospects in the draft. https://t.co/IL3NjioMsx
— Rohan Chakravarthi (@rohanSports27) April 30, 2021
Dyami Brown
Ok. I understand. I JUST said the 49ers should look to take a receiver in Round 3. And I still believe that.
But, it would be just preposterous to overlook Dyami Brown if he somehow fell to 43. Dyami Brown is one of my favorite receivers in the class, as I stated in my receivers video, and he possesses both outside ability and slot ability.
I think Brown would be a phenomenal fit in the Shanahan offense given his flexibility, size, and speed. Brown works best across the middle of the field, which is why I believe that he would be a great slot receiver, but also provides insurance at the outside-receiver position where the 49ers lack depth.
Shanahan's preference to work in the middle of the field has been shown through his various play-action sets and Brown would provide an electric weapon to match Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk.
Brown would also be phenomenal as a run option, much like Aiyuk and Samuel, as his electrifying burst out of the backfield on different sets would add another bonus to the 49er offense.
Lastly, an underrated aspect of Brown's game is his physicality. In the passing game, Brown is not afraid to go up and get contested catches, and in the running game, Brown proved at run-heavy North Carolina that he can be a willing blocker, which is an added bonus for the run-heavy 49ers.
Man, do I love Dyami Brown.
Jevon Holland
Being my number one safety in the class, Jevon Holland should be in consideration at the 43rd pick.
Holland, who possesses tremendous upside, is more of a developmental pick for the 49ers. In my opinion, Holland is the most complete safety in the draft and I wouldn't be surprised if he went before the 49ers pick at 43.
But if Holland is there, the 49ers need to take a good look at him. Despite his smaller frame, Jevon Holland has great coverage skills as a slot corner, possessing great instinct, ball skills, agility, and movement alongside receivers, which are the main qualities needed in a slot corner.
Not only does Holland cover well, he is a monster in the run game. Holland instinctively can play the run and screen game well and be an all-around free safety for the 49ers.
While Holland will need some developing, he can start his career as a backup to Jimmie Ward before taking over the starting role at either nickel back or safety depending on the 49ers' future decisions.
Elijah Molden
While this would be more of a luxury pick, given that both slot corner and free safety are filled spots on the 49ers, Elijah Molden is a depth pick with intriguing upside for the future.
Molden is one of the more underrated safeties/slot corners in this draft, due to his size limitations. However, Molden is unfazed by that in his game, as he has proven to be an instinctive run defender at the safety position, while providing versatility as a slot corner in the passing game, making him an effective three-down player at the next level.
Molden would be a good starter next year if the 49ers decide to move on from K'Waun Williams or Jimmie Ward due to cap constraints. Also, keep in mind both incumbent starters' injury history.
The lack of depth at an important position makes Molden a very solid option at pick 43, although a rather unlikely pick.
Round 3
In Round 3, the 49ers should also have a multitude of options that would improve the roster for 2021.
Paulsen Adebo
Do not sleep on Paulsen Adebo. A zone corner who opted out of 2020, Paulsen Adebo was a monster, to say the least, in 2018 and remained solid in 2019.
Adebo is the opposite of Tyson Campbell as a prospect, yet remains a solid option for the 49ers in the third round.
In my opinion, Adebo is a top three zone coverage corner in the draft and I think one of his pro comparisons should be Richard Sherman, who coincidentally went to Stanford as well.
Adebo is a corner with great size, standing at 6'1" and 190 pounds, but incorporates press-level physicality into his game to gain advantages over recievers.
Adebo has great ball skills, as referenced through his 27 pass breakups, and his agility and burst are some of his best traits. While Adebo does not possess the elite 4.3 speed of other corners in the class, his traits, matched with his average speed, make him one of my favorite corner prospects in the class and a player with high upside.
Tylan Wallace
Another one of my favorite underrated receivers, Tylan Wallace has dropped down draft boards due to his ACL injury and below-average testing.
However, Wallace's tape should not be overlooked. In 2018, Wallace was one of the most electrifying prospects in all of college football, amassing over 1,400 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns.
Wallace is a spectacular reciever whose lack of elite speed is countered by his great route running ability, separation off the line of scrimmage, wide catch-radius, and above average ball skills.
Wallace is another extremely versatile receiver who can manuever out of the backfield, play in the slot, or play on the outside, due to his variety of talents on the football field.
While Wallace does not excel in contested-catch situations, the 49er offense and his ability to separate will minimize those chances and make him a very effective player.
Wallace could drop due to the variety of receivers and other prospects merely having more speed, but he is one of the most complete receivers in the class and would be a steal at pick 102.
Trey Smith
Another one of my favorite players in the middle rounds, Trey Smith would be a phenomenal addition to the 49ers, but mainly as a luxury pick in the third round.
While I believe him to be a second-round talent, flashy prospects who are more athletically gifted could be the cause for his slide, and if he remains at 102, the 49ers should definitely consider him.
What's interesting is that Smith was considered a top-tier offensive lineman in the class going into his past season and played phenomenal once again, putting the cherry on top at the Senior Bowl.
An explosive talent, Smith is one of the more technically sound players in the draft who may not possess as much upside, but carries a higher floor than other prospects.
Smith would slot in as a depth player for the 49ers this season, but with an aging line, he could take over as a starter next year, making him a valuable selection. Of course, if injuries were to occur, Smith could also slide into a starting spot on the line.
Walker Little
Another player ravaged by injuries, the last time we saw Walker Little play significant time was in 2018, as he was injured in Week 1 of 2019 and was a COVID opt-out in 2020. The uncertainty around Little could contribute to his fall in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Still, Little possesses elite size, standing at 6'7" and 309 pounds, to pair with his superb length, making him a tackle prospect for the NFL. Playing primarily as a pass blocker, Little's athleticism and technique seemed very steady in 2018, but will need some adjustment as he has not played since.
Little is merely an average run-blocker, but the effort is shown on tape and provides hope that Little can improve in that realm.
While Little's run blocking ability may scare the 49ers, they have already shown to take fliers on prospects like Trey Lance on Day 1, and his pass blocking ability should please them.
In 2018, the 49ers took Mike McGlinchey out of Notre Dame due to his run blocking, but have learned the importance of pass-blocking through McGlinchey's misfortunes. Little could be a project player who serves as depth, but could also slide in at either tackle position as a result of an injury or underwhelming play by McGlinchey.
Overall, the 49ers have many options, and have drafted well in the middle rounds in previous years. It will be interesting to see which direction they go in on Friday night.
- Rohan Chakravarthi
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Written by:Writer/Reporter for 49ers Webzone
